Hall of Fame Bloggershttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php?blog=13
en-UShttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60A Substitution Helper and a Few Supper Ideashttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2009/06/22/a-substitution-helper-and-a-few-supper-i?blog=13
Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:10:00 +0000adminChanur (AB)4646@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>A book I came across recently that I think all blood types might be interested in is a book called The Food Substitutions Bible by David Joachim. It&#8217;s got over 5,000 substitutions for all sorts of ingredients, techniques, and cooking equipment. Since the BTD usually requires a revamp of so many recipes I thought I&#8217;d through the book information out there for everyone. This book is not a BTD book, so you do need to know what foods your type or the type(s) you are cooking for can have in order to know which suggested substitutions are appropriate for you to consider.<br /><br />Pumpkin is only a neutral of us AB&#8217;s, but I like pumpkin ravioli so much I sometimes even eat it in the summer with tomato sauce on it at a local Italian restaurant. Now that pumpkin is in season it&#8217;s fairly easy to find where I live in the refrigerated section of the grocery, but I do not like the price (or the wheat) of the pre-made ones. I do not like to take the time to make the raviolis from scratch either. So, my answer to that is to make the ravioli filling (cooked, mashed pumpkin or canned solid-pack pumpkin puree, lots of heavily caramelized onions, garlic, sage, and sometimes Italian seasonings) and then use it as the sauce over regular (unstuffed/unfilled) type cooked pasta with some grated mozzarella, manchego, or pecorino toscana cheese to garnish it. It&#8217;s extra good if you make the pasta, drain it well, let it cool a little, and then saute it a bit in some clarified butter and then sauce it with the pumpkin. If you need some additional protein in there, ground turkey that has been cooked with Italian seasonings, garlic, and chopped onion makes a nice addition. Either way is yummmmm. If you need an actual recipe, they are fairly easy to find right now with just about any search engine.<br /><br />Another fall meal that I&#8217;ve made lately is one of the national dishes of Belgium: Carbonnade Flamandes. It's made with diced lamb that has been browned in clarified butter over high heat. Next, I put it in my crock-pot with some cut up onion, a bottle of strong beer, and strong beef stock or broth. I then add some Hen of the Woods (Maitake) mushrooms, a small piece of cinnamon, a generous sprinkle of dry ground ginger, and a bit of ground cloves and nutmeg. Turn it on low for several hours and yummmm! If you&#8217;ve already started your holiday baking, you could use some hard spelt gingerbread cookies (no icing) or gingersnaps instead of adding the individual spices. It&#8217;s good with spatzle served on the side. Since spatzle is wheat, go easy on it if you decide to have this. Nutmeg seasoned mashed potatoes or spinached mashed potatoes are good, too.<br /><br />Salmon is still high on my list of preferred foods. I had it one night this past weekend grilled on an indoor grill. It was served with a mayonnaise that was flavored with garlic, horseradish, and a bit of dill weed. I had beets and potato pancakes on the side with unsweetened applesauce and sour cream. A glass of German riesling was my beverage. Again, yummm.<br /><br />A comfort dish that I&#8217;ve done recently was rabbit noodle casserole. It was supposed to be rabbit noodle soup (instead of chicken noodle soup), but I didn't have anywhere near enough stock or broth so it was more of a stew which became a casserole. First, I cooked the rabbit in the water with carrots, onions, celery, a bay leaf, two cloves, and &#188; teaspoon of dried thyme. Then I fished out the rabbit meat, discarded the veggies, stained the broth, and let it cool overnight in the &#8216;fridge. The next day, I sauteed bite sized pieces of onion, carrots, celery, and chopped garlic in a mixture of half olive oil and half clarified butter. I shredded the rabbit meat, seasoned it with about a tablespoon of Italian seasonings and added it to the veggies. Then I mixed it all into the broth I reheated that I had made the night before. Then I added about 8oz (dry weight) of cooked, drained spelt rotini (spiral shaped) noodles. It had been so long since I&#8217;d fixed rabbit noodle anything. <br /><br />Tomorrow I'm off of work so I'm going shopping for our Thanksgiving meal. We're having the traditional turkey with sides of garlic-y green beans, spelt dressing, cranberries cooked in red wine, spices, and lemon peel instead of orange and a Chardonnay for the beverage. My son really wants mashed potatoes and gravy. I don't believe in ruining people's once a year holidays by being a slave to the BTD so we're going to have it as well. We'll also be having some white wheat bread filled with spinach dip. A rich dark chocolate and sour cream cake is the most likely candidate for our dessert at this point.</p>
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<div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2009/06/22/a-substitution-helper-and-a-few-supper-i?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>A book I came across recently that I think all blood types might be interested in is a book called The Food Substitutions Bible by David Joachim. It’s got over 5,000 substitutions for all sorts of ingredients, techniques, and cooking equipment. Since the BTD usually requires a revamp of so many recipes I thought I’d through the book information out there for everyone. This book is not a BTD book, so you do need to know what foods your type or the type(s) you are cooking for can have in order to know which suggested substitutions are appropriate for you to consider.

Pumpkin is only a neutral of us AB’s, but I like pumpkin ravioli so much I sometimes even eat it in the summer with tomato sauce on it at a local Italian restaurant. Now that pumpkin is in season it’s fairly easy to find where I live in the refrigerated section of the grocery, but I do not like the price (or the wheat) of the pre-made ones. I do not like to take the time to make the raviolis from scratch either. So, my answer to that is to make the ravioli filling (cooked, mashed pumpkin or canned solid-pack pumpkin puree, lots of heavily caramelized onions, garlic, sage, and sometimes Italian seasonings) and then use it as the sauce over regular (unstuffed/unfilled) type cooked pasta with some grated mozzarella, manchego, or pecorino toscana cheese to garnish it. It’s extra good if you make the pasta, drain it well, let it cool a little, and then saute it a bit in some clarified butter and then sauce it with the pumpkin. If you need some additional protein in there, ground turkey that has been cooked with Italian seasonings, garlic, and chopped onion makes a nice addition. Either way is yummmmm. If you need an actual recipe, they are fairly easy to find right now with just about any search engine.

Another fall meal that I’ve made lately is one of the national dishes of Belgium: Carbonnade Flamandes. It's made with diced lamb that has been browned in clarified butter over high heat. Next, I put it in my crock-pot with some cut up onion, a bottle of strong beer, and strong beef stock or broth. I then add some Hen of the Woods (Maitake) mushrooms, a small piece of cinnamon, a generous sprinkle of dry ground ginger, and a bit of ground cloves and nutmeg. Turn it on low for several hours and yummmm! If you’ve already started your holiday baking, you could use some hard spelt gingerbread cookies (no icing) or gingersnaps instead of adding the individual spices. It’s good with spatzle served on the side. Since spatzle is wheat, go easy on it if you decide to have this. Nutmeg seasoned mashed potatoes or spinached mashed potatoes are good, too.

Salmon is still high on my list of preferred foods. I had it one night this past weekend grilled on an indoor grill. It was served with a mayonnaise that was flavored with garlic, horseradish, and a bit of dill weed. I had beets and potato pancakes on the side with unsweetened applesauce and sour cream. A glass of German riesling was my beverage. Again, yummm.

A comfort dish that I’ve done recently was rabbit noodle casserole. It was supposed to be rabbit noodle soup (instead of chicken noodle soup), but I didn't have anywhere near enough stock or broth so it was more of a stew which became a casserole. First, I cooked the rabbit in the water with carrots, onions, celery, a bay leaf, two cloves, and ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme. Then I fished out the rabbit meat, discarded the veggies, stained the broth, and let it cool overnight in the ‘fridge. The next day, I sauteed bite sized pieces of onion, carrots, celery, and chopped garlic in a mixture of half olive oil and half clarified butter. I shredded the rabbit meat, seasoned it with about a tablespoon of Italian seasonings and added it to the veggies. Then I mixed it all into the broth I reheated that I had made the night before. Then I added about 8oz (dry weight) of cooked, drained spelt rotini (spiral shaped) noodles. It had been so long since I’d fixed rabbit noodle anything.

Tomorrow I'm off of work so I'm going shopping for our Thanksgiving meal. We're having the traditional turkey with sides of garlic-y green beans, spelt dressing, cranberries cooked in red wine, spices, and lemon peel instead of orange and a Chardonnay for the beverage. My son really wants mashed potatoes and gravy. I don't believe in ruining people's once a year holidays by being a slave to the BTD so we're going to have it as well. We'll also be having some white wheat bread filled with spinach dip. A rich dark chocolate and sour cream cake is the most likely candidate for our dessert at this point.

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2009/06/22/a-substitution-helper-and-a-few-supper-i?blog=13#commentsLearning how to fall....http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/21/learning-how-to-fall?blog=13
Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:39:28 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7933@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>Reading Dr D's blog 'Old Men Can Jump' made me smile. It also prompted some memories of my childhood watching my Dad and his friends at Aikido and in particular of the day he said my brother and I had to 'learn how to fall'.</p>
<p>I remember now, sitting cross legged, hair in plaits, smiling and laughing with my Mum and younger brother. We were taken to the kids area and put into what looked like pyjamas, white aikido robes and then my Dad tooks us to the dojo to do some practising. I couldn't understand why I had to learn to fall? I was brilliant at it. I could fall over my own feet on a regular basis, a sign of hypermobility and my flexible joints which was missed for many years. </p>
<p>At that age I couldn't run far as I always lost balance. Nowadays with supports in my running shoes I can run as far as my lungs and legs will let me :-)</p>
<p>I remember my Dad smiling and explaining that if you knew how to fall properly, you could land on the ground and not hurt yourself. This sounded great to a clumsy kid who was usually covered in sticking plasters. Bring it on, Dad ....</p>
<p>Dad and Marion (a lovely chap and one of the most talented martial artists I had seen before or since), sat us down and showed us basic 'falling' techniques. Thowing out your arms to break your fall, turning over in mid air to prevent broken arms and wrists, all very simple, but to me it was like magic. Some kind of dark art which had previously been hidden from view. For a while I remember practising, committing the various methods to memory and then 'filing them away' for a rainy day. </p>
<p>That rainy day arrived seven years ago, when Jake was around a year old. I was getting out of the car at a supermarket (I won't mention the name but if you take off the first and last letters of their slogan, it says 'very little help' which sums this up!). I fell on uneven ground and lurched forward with my infant son in my arms and would have fell on top of him - he could have been either killed or seriously injured. At least that's what would have happened. Had I not been a 'professional faller' extraordinaire! </p>
<p>My Ex's face was a picture as I instinctively twisted in mid air, handed my son into his Dad's waiting arms, turned onto my back (while still in the air) and threw out my arms to break my fall and lifted my head to avoid cracking my skull. The resulting landing was loud. I hit hard tarmac, no injuries, bit of a bruise on one arm, but otherwise unscathed. My son was fine, no distress or shock and was smiling happily in his Dad's arms. Ex, a man of few words, looked intrigued and had to admit that I had moved with the grace and professionalism that any stuntman would be proud of, high praise indeed. </p>
<p>I phoned my Dad later that day to say 'thank you for teaching me to fall', he laughed and commented that you never know when a skill like that will save you. It certainly saved Jake from a serious injury or even worse, so I'll always be grateful for a lesson learned.</p>
<p>As for the supermarket, they were utterly disinterested, still haven't repaired the uneven tarmac and really didn't care at all. I go to the one across town now, they're friendly, and up to now, I haven't had to show off my falling skills.</p>
<p>So, old men can jump and anyone can learn how to fall!</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/21/learning-how-to-fall?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>Reading Dr D's blog 'Old Men Can Jump' made me smile. It also prompted some memories of my childhood watching my Dad and his friends at Aikido and in particular of the day he said my brother and I had to 'learn how to fall'.

I remember now, sitting cross legged, hair in plaits, smiling and laughing with my Mum and younger brother. We were taken to the kids area and put into what looked like pyjamas, white aikido robes and then my Dad tooks us to the dojo to do some practising. I couldn't understand why I had to learn to fall? I was brilliant at it. I could fall over my own feet on a regular basis, a sign of hypermobility and my flexible joints which was missed for many years.

At that age I couldn't run far as I always lost balance. Nowadays with supports in my running shoes I can run as far as my lungs and legs will let me :-)

I remember my Dad smiling and explaining that if you knew how to fall properly, you could land on the ground and not hurt yourself. This sounded great to a clumsy kid who was usually covered in sticking plasters. Bring it on, Dad ....

Dad and Marion (a lovely chap and one of the most talented martial artists I had seen before or since), sat us down and showed us basic 'falling' techniques. Thowing out your arms to break your fall, turning over in mid air to prevent broken arms and wrists, all very simple, but to me it was like magic. Some kind of dark art which had previously been hidden from view. For a while I remember practising, committing the various methods to memory and then 'filing them away' for a rainy day.

That rainy day arrived seven years ago, when Jake was around a year old. I was getting out of the car at a supermarket (I won't mention the name but if you take off the first and last letters of their slogan, it says 'very little help' which sums this up!). I fell on uneven ground and lurched forward with my infant son in my arms and would have fell on top of him - he could have been either killed or seriously injured. At least that's what would have happened. Had I not been a 'professional faller' extraordinaire!

My Ex's face was a picture as I instinctively twisted in mid air, handed my son into his Dad's waiting arms, turned onto my back (while still in the air) and threw out my arms to break my fall and lifted my head to avoid cracking my skull. The resulting landing was loud. I hit hard tarmac, no injuries, bit of a bruise on one arm, but otherwise unscathed. My son was fine, no distress or shock and was smiling happily in his Dad's arms. Ex, a man of few words, looked intrigued and had to admit that I had moved with the grace and professionalism that any stuntman would be proud of, high praise indeed.

I phoned my Dad later that day to say 'thank you for teaching me to fall', he laughed and commented that you never know when a skill like that will save you. It certainly saved Jake from a serious injury or even worse, so I'll always be grateful for a lesson learned.

As for the supermarket, they were utterly disinterested, still haven't repaired the uneven tarmac and really didn't care at all. I go to the one across town now, they're friendly, and up to now, I haven't had to show off my falling skills.

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/21/learning-how-to-fall?blog=13#commentsOkay Boo Boo, time for Yogahttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/07/okay-boo-boo-time-for-yoga?blog=13
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:03:37 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7917@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>"Time for yoga" I said to my son, "Okay Boo Boo buddy boy" he replied. Mental note to Mum to switch off the kids cartoon channel <img src="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/rsc/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="&#58;&#68;" class="middle" /></p>
<p>Each day we fight to get onto the Wii Fit thingy, rain or shine we're there. Exercising, competing, fighting to get better scores on the games (balance games such as tightrope walking, snowboarding etc), trying to out-do one another in the step class to see who gets a perfect score lol.</p>
<p>Quite a change from a few months ago where I'd have to be threatened at gunpoint to do exercise, other than my Leg Magic, and a bit of Hip Hop Abs. Now I look forward to my 20 mins of yoga, 30 mins of muscle exercise, 30 mins of aerobics (step, jogging, rhythm boxing) and I find I can run up stairs faster, or go farther than before without being out of breath. As our high scores increase, we try and better our previous scores, or to do more repetitions on exercises. Who'd have believed that two committed couch potatoes could change because of a kids computer game?</p>
<p>B/F thinks its 'dull' but then his Wii Fit Age was 70 and he's only 41 :-), I have got mine down to 31 at the moment, due to years of Pilates I think and having good posture which helps a lot. Though my balance could do with some help due to the hypermobility which means my foot bones move a lot so standing still is a bit of an effort sometimes ha ha ;-)</p>
<p>Jake was astounded at how easily I took to the snowboarding game, and got higher scores than him. He has no idea that Mum had a life prior to his existence, or that she used to waterski, go powerboat racing, was a real adrenalin junkie in her twenties lol. Kids eh?</p>
<p>Maybe one day I'll take him skiing for a winter break, then I can try skiing on snow for a change, I hope its fun, and I'll try not be jealous as the fearless eight year old whizzes past me like a professional after an hour on the nursery slopes.</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/07/okay-boo-boo-time-for-yoga?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>"Time for yoga" I said to my son, "Okay Boo Boo buddy boy" he replied. Mental note to Mum to switch off the kids cartoon channel

Each day we fight to get onto the Wii Fit thingy, rain or shine we're there. Exercising, competing, fighting to get better scores on the games (balance games such as tightrope walking, snowboarding etc), trying to out-do one another in the step class to see who gets a perfect score lol.

Quite a change from a few months ago where I'd have to be threatened at gunpoint to do exercise, other than my Leg Magic, and a bit of Hip Hop Abs. Now I look forward to my 20 mins of yoga, 30 mins of muscle exercise, 30 mins of aerobics (step, jogging, rhythm boxing) and I find I can run up stairs faster, or go farther than before without being out of breath. As our high scores increase, we try and better our previous scores, or to do more repetitions on exercises. Who'd have believed that two committed couch potatoes could change because of a kids computer game?

B/F thinks its 'dull' but then his Wii Fit Age was 70 and he's only 41 :-), I have got mine down to 31 at the moment, due to years of Pilates I think and having good posture which helps a lot. Though my balance could do with some help due to the hypermobility which means my foot bones move a lot so standing still is a bit of an effort sometimes ha ha ;-)

Jake was astounded at how easily I took to the snowboarding game, and got higher scores than him. He has no idea that Mum had a life prior to his existence, or that she used to waterski, go powerboat racing, was a real adrenalin junkie in her twenties lol. Kids eh?

Maybe one day I'll take him skiing for a winter break, then I can try skiing on snow for a change, I hope its fun, and I'll try not be jealous as the fearless eight year old whizzes past me like a professional after an hour on the nursery slopes.

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/07/okay-boo-boo-time-for-yoga?blog=13#commentsAutumn soups, warming, filling and thrifty! O+ Hunterhttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/01/autumn-soups-warming-filling-and-thrifty?blog=13
Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:40:38 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7911@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>Hi everyone, I've been cooking soup today. Nothing outstanding, but tasty and warming on a cold, Autumn day. Ideal fare for a Halloween party, easy to make and loved by both adults and kids alike.</p>
<p>Roasted spicy squash and sweet potato soup</p>
<p>Ingredients</p>
<p>2 onions finely chopped<br />
1 T ghee, or compliant oil<br />
1 large butternut squash (or compliant squash/pumpkin)<br />
2 sweet potatoes (or white potatoes for those who can eat them!)<br />
1 tsp coriander <br />
1 tsp cumin<br />
1 tsp cinammon<br />
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste) optional, could use chilli flakes<br />
2 tsp garlic paste (or grated garlic cloves)<br />
2 tsp ginger paste (or grated ginger)<br />
2 pts stock, I like chicken or turkey but use whatever you like</p>
<p>Heat the oven to 200c or 400f, split the squash lengthways and take out the seeds. Add the sweet potatoes and squash to a roasting tin and bake for 45 mins or until soft. Meanwhile, in a soup pan, sweat the onions in the ghee on a low heat, once softened but NOT coloured, add the garlic, ginger and dried spices. Stir on a low heat for a few minutes for the flavours to infuse.</p>
<p>Take the squash/potatoes out of the oven, scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Add the flesh to the soup pan and warm through, mashing gently. Add a couple of pints of stock (or water) to get a soup that's the thickness you like, I like it thick and filling. Warm through then blend with a stick blender or food processor.</p>
<p>You could garnish the soup with either chopped nuts (compliant for you), dry fried cumin seeds, cream/quark (again check your type) or kefir, some chopped chives would be nice for colour. It would be lovely with blue cheese or feta if you can eat this ;-) I can't but wish I could ;-)</p>
<p>I love this soup with lots of garlic and my vegetable hating 8 year old son will eat this every day given the chance! Serve with hot crusty bread (compliant to your type, flax focaccia is lovely with it) and I admit I like to dip chicken breast pieces into the soup as I eat it. Got to get my protein :-)</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/01/autumn-soups-warming-filling-and-thrifty?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>Hi everyone, I've been cooking soup today. Nothing outstanding, but tasty and warming on a cold, Autumn day. Ideal fare for a Halloween party, easy to make and loved by both adults and kids alike.

Heat the oven to 200c or 400f, split the squash lengthways and take out the seeds. Add the sweet potatoes and squash to a roasting tin and bake for 45 mins or until soft. Meanwhile, in a soup pan, sweat the onions in the ghee on a low heat, once softened but NOT coloured, add the garlic, ginger and dried spices. Stir on a low heat for a few minutes for the flavours to infuse.

Take the squash/potatoes out of the oven, scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Add the flesh to the soup pan and warm through, mashing gently. Add a couple of pints of stock (or water) to get a soup that's the thickness you like, I like it thick and filling. Warm through then blend with a stick blender or food processor.

You could garnish the soup with either chopped nuts (compliant for you), dry fried cumin seeds, cream/quark (again check your type) or kefir, some chopped chives would be nice for colour. It would be lovely with blue cheese or feta if you can eat this ;-) I can't but wish I could ;-)

I love this soup with lots of garlic and my vegetable hating 8 year old son will eat this every day given the chance! Serve with hot crusty bread (compliant to your type, flax focaccia is lovely with it) and I admit I like to dip chicken breast pieces into the soup as I eat it. Got to get my protein :-)

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/10/01/autumn-soups-warming-filling-and-thrifty?blog=13#commentsAre Type O's more competitive? Is it the Hunter in me?http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/09/18/are-type-o-s-more-competitive-is-it-the-?blog=13
Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:21:08 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7896@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>After a great deal of persuasion I finally gave in and ordered a Wii Fit to go with my son Jake's Wii console. A small 'step' thing arrived with a disk and various instructions. After a few moments of 'setup' it was talking to the wii and then the fun started!</p>
<p>I had resisted Wii Fit on the basis that it would probably be a bit of a gimic, soon to be covered up like the 'excellent condition' exercise bikes you see advertised in supermarkets and local papers. But maybe I was wrong?</p>
<p>It was installed on Monday, we're now on Thursday and every member of my immediate family (including my pensioner parents who also bought one) has been weighed, had their height measured, input their age, had a 'humourous' Mii character created and has completed at least 30 mins (sometimes more) exercise a day - all this from a family of dyed in the wool couch potatoes? </p>
<p>We're even getting competitive, trying to achieve a younger fitness age, mine is 34 which given that I'm actually 40 was a lovely ego boost! Although it did say I was also obese and made a little fat Mii character with my trademark blonde, glasses and smile :-)</p>
<p>My son, Jake, can't wait to unlock a new exercise. He is eight, and his fitness age started at 27! OUCH, a sharp call to action, with practise and time he's got that down to 11 and is delighted with his progress. I've never seen him so active and actually wanting to play sports, go jogging and do exercise at anything other than gunpoint lol.</p>
<p>So I have to admit it folks, I'm a convert! I have enjoyed it, it's fun, easy to learn, you get instant feedback and no gym fees! Or having to sit next to narcissistic bodybuilders while I sweat and feel like dying on the exercise bike. </p>
<p>Have you tried one, what did you think?</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/09/18/are-type-o-s-more-competitive-is-it-the-?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>After a great deal of persuasion I finally gave in and ordered a Wii Fit to go with my son Jake's Wii console. A small 'step' thing arrived with a disk and various instructions. After a few moments of 'setup' it was talking to the wii and then the fun started!

I had resisted Wii Fit on the basis that it would probably be a bit of a gimic, soon to be covered up like the 'excellent condition' exercise bikes you see advertised in supermarkets and local papers. But maybe I was wrong?

It was installed on Monday, we're now on Thursday and every member of my immediate family (including my pensioner parents who also bought one) has been weighed, had their height measured, input their age, had a 'humourous' Mii character created and has completed at least 30 mins (sometimes more) exercise a day - all this from a family of dyed in the wool couch potatoes?

We're even getting competitive, trying to achieve a younger fitness age, mine is 34 which given that I'm actually 40 was a lovely ego boost! Although it did say I was also obese and made a little fat Mii character with my trademark blonde, glasses and smile :-)

My son, Jake, can't wait to unlock a new exercise. He is eight, and his fitness age started at 27! OUCH, a sharp call to action, with practise and time he's got that down to 11 and is delighted with his progress. I've never seen him so active and actually wanting to play sports, go jogging and do exercise at anything other than gunpoint lol.

So I have to admit it folks, I'm a convert! I have enjoyed it, it's fun, easy to learn, you get instant feedback and no gym fees! Or having to sit next to narcissistic bodybuilders while I sweat and feel like dying on the exercise bike.

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/09/18/are-type-o-s-more-competitive-is-it-the-?blog=13#commentsCourgettes / Zuchini for Summerhttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/14/summer-chicken?blog=13
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:28:06 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7824@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>Hi Everyone, I'm sorry I haven't posted recently. Those of you who know me from the Blood Type Diet boards will know I've been battling with two infections, one ovarian and one in the kidneys, and hopefully now thanks to lots of diamond foods, rest and the dreaded antibiotics, I'm on the mend. It's nice to be back.</p>
<p>Although the weather here in the UK hasn't been very sunny, it is courgette season, lovely fresh tasting veggies which always make me feel like summer has arrived. Here's a quick recipe for stuff courgette/zuchini and I like use the yellow courgettes, but you can use either. You could also garnish them with the flowers from the veggies, they add colour, interest and texture to a dish and use to amaze my son that we could eat them. :-)<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 courgette, sliced in half, lengthways<br />
1 tbsp olive oil, ghee or compliant oil for your BT/GT<br />
&#189; onion, finely diced<br />
4 cherry tomatoes, halved (or peppers finely chopped, or fennel would be nice)<br />
salt and freshly ground black pepper (if you can eat it)<br />
55g/2oz cottage cheese or parmesan (finely grated) or farmer cheese might do</p>
<p>Method:<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.<br />
2. With a clean teaspoon, scoop out the centre of one half of the courgette and chop the remaining half of courgette finely.<br />
3. In a non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Saut&#233; the onion until soft but not coloured.<br />
4. Add the chopped courgette and cherry tomatoes (or peppers/fennel etc) to the frying pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional). <br />
5. Saut&#233; the vegetables for 3-5 minutes until soft, then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. <br />
6. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and mix in the cottage cheese (or alternative for your BT/GT, manchego might be nice too) until evenly combined. Fill the cavity of the courgette half with the cheese and vegetable mixture.<br />
7. Place the courgette on a non-stick baking tray and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the courgette is tender. <br />
8. Serve hot or cold.</p>
<p>This is adapted to BTD or GTD from an original recipe by an English chef Brian Turner, he's a lovely chap, very down to earth, straight talking man from Yorkshire and when you look at him you just know he loves his food. I made this with yellow courgette (zuchini) but it's nice with the green ones, or the round ones too and they are so easy to grow at home.</p>
<p>Here's a link to Brian's website for those who'd like to try some more of his recipes. He's quite a character. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.brianturneronline.co.uk/Home.aspx">http://www.brianturneronline.co.uk/Home.aspx</a></p>
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<div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/14/summer-chicken?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>Hi Everyone, I'm sorry I haven't posted recently. Those of you who know me from the Blood Type Diet boards will know I've been battling with two infections, one ovarian and one in the kidneys, and hopefully now thanks to lots of diamond foods, rest and the dreaded antibiotics, I'm on the mend. It's nice to be back.

Although the weather here in the UK hasn't been very sunny, it is courgette season, lovely fresh tasting veggies which always make me feel like summer has arrived. Here's a quick recipe for stuff courgette/zuchini and I like use the yellow courgettes, but you can use either. You could also garnish them with the flowers from the veggies, they add colour, interest and texture to a dish and use to amaze my son that we could eat them. :-)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. With a clean teaspoon, scoop out the centre of one half of the courgette and chop the remaining half of courgette finely.
3. In a non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Sauté the onion until soft but not coloured.
4. Add the chopped courgette and cherry tomatoes (or peppers/fennel etc) to the frying pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional).
5. Sauté the vegetables for 3-5 minutes until soft, then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
6. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and mix in the cottage cheese (or alternative for your BT/GT, manchego might be nice too) until evenly combined. Fill the cavity of the courgette half with the cheese and vegetable mixture.
7. Place the courgette on a non-stick baking tray and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the courgette is tender.
8. Serve hot or cold.

This is adapted to BTD or GTD from an original recipe by an English chef Brian Turner, he's a lovely chap, very down to earth, straight talking man from Yorkshire and when you look at him you just know he loves his food. I made this with yellow courgette (zuchini) but it's nice with the green ones, or the round ones too and they are so easy to grow at home.

Here's a link to Brian's website for those who'd like to try some more of his recipes. He's quite a character.

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/14/summer-chicken?blog=13#commentsSide Dishes to add some flavourhttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/02/side-dishes-to-add-some-flavour?blog=13
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:20:07 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7797@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>A couple of side dishes to brighten up your plates, both serve four as a side, or two as a starter. You could add tomatoes (Gatherers) if you wished or (Hunters) keep it 'as is'.</p>
<p>Courgette &amp; Red Peppers</p>
<p>6 small zucchini/courgettes sliced<br />
1/2 red pepper chopped<br />
3 T butter or ghee<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/8 tsp cayenne<br />
2 tsp lemon peel grated<br />
1 T lemon juice<br />
2 T parsley chopped (or coriander)<br />
2 T stock (chicken, vegetable, beef etc)</p>
<p>Combine all igredients and cook (covered) in a frying pan for three to five minutes over a medium heat. Remove the lid, cook until veggies are tender but still keep their shape, stir occasionally. Most of the liquid should have absorbed, takes approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and garnish with the parsley. You could add garlic, chilli flakes, turmeric and cumin to spice it up a bit.</p>
<p>Asparagus with 'vinaigrette'</p>
<p>salt to taste<br />
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed<br />
5 tsp apple cider vinegar OR 5 tsp lemon/lime juice<br />
2 T walnut oil or olive oil<br />
2 tsp grated lemon peel (or other citrus)<br />
2 T chopped walnuts, pinenuts or other compliant nuts (toasted for flavour)</p>
<p>Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water until tender, approx 4 to 10 mins depending on the thickness. Drain and run under cold water to retain the colour. Lay in kitchen paper and pat dry. Move to a serving plate.</p>
<p>Whisk the other ingredients together and spoon over the top of asparagus and serve.</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/02/side-dishes-to-add-some-flavour?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>A couple of side dishes to brighten up your plates, both serve four as a side, or two as a starter. You could add tomatoes (Gatherers) if you wished or (Hunters) keep it 'as is'.

Combine all igredients and cook (covered) in a frying pan for three to five minutes over a medium heat. Remove the lid, cook until veggies are tender but still keep their shape, stir occasionally. Most of the liquid should have absorbed, takes approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and garnish with the parsley. You could add garlic, chilli flakes, turmeric and cumin to spice it up a bit.

Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water until tender, approx 4 to 10 mins depending on the thickness. Drain and run under cold water to retain the colour. Lay in kitchen paper and pat dry. Move to a serving plate.

Whisk the other ingredients together and spoon over the top of asparagus and serve.

]]>http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/02/side-dishes-to-add-some-flavour?blog=13#commentsHunting for breakfast ideashttp://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/01/hunting-for-breakfast-ideas?blog=13
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:40:00 +0000loraineLoraine Birchall (O)7794@http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/<p>I've not been posting as often lately, it's been hectic at work, although that is hopefully slowing down a little now. Food has been a bit of a chore and I wanted to reinvigorate my tastebuds with something different.</p>
<p>I spent last night poring over recipe books, searching for something inspiring for breakfast. Today was taken care of, scrambled eggs at a meeting, which I now think had some milk in the mix <img src="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/rsc/smilies/icon_redface.gif" alt="&#58;&#111;&#111;&#112;&#115;&#58;" class="middle" /> . But what about the rest of the week? I love eggs, leftover meat with green veggies, occasionly I do feel like I could kill for a piece of crisp white toast, but hey it's so not on my food list and I want to be compliant.</p>
<p>Tomorrow I am going to make Quinoa, a bit dull? Well maybe.... maybe not.</p>
<p>2.5 cup water, or nut milk, rice milk or for the lucky amongst us... dairy<br />
1/8 tsp salt<br />
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well until the water runs clear<br />
1/4 cup chopped dates (or figs, apricots, cranberries... up to you!)<br />
2 Tbsp butter (I prefer ghee)<br />
1/8 tsp gound cardamom<br />
1/8 tsp ground fennel seeds<br />
a few drops of veggie glycerine/agave or compliant sweetener<br />
1/4 cup toasted, chopped nuts (I used walnuts, but pinenuts, almonds etc would be fab)</p>
<p>Combine all ingredients except the dates/butter/nuts in a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the liquid has evaporated and the grains are tender but still have a bit of bite (It took me approximately 15 mins). </p>
<p>Stir in the dates and butter (or ghee) then top with the chopped nuts. Can be eaten hot or cold, but I like it hot! <img src="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/rsc/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="&#58;&#68;" class="middle" /></p>
<p>I'll experiment with other spices and I might try a savoury version with onions, turmeric, cumin, cilantro, fennel seed and maybe even some chilli. Yummy.</p>
<p>Hope you like it.</p>
<p>Loraine</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/index.php/2008/07/01/hunting-for-breakfast-ideas?blog=13">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>I've not been posting as often lately, it's been hectic at work, although that is hopefully slowing down a little now. Food has been a bit of a chore and I wanted to reinvigorate my tastebuds with something different.

I spent last night poring over recipe books, searching for something inspiring for breakfast. Today was taken care of, scrambled eggs at a meeting, which I now think had some milk in the mix . But what about the rest of the week? I love eggs, leftover meat with green veggies, occasionly I do feel like I could kill for a piece of crisp white toast, but hey it's so not on my food list and I want to be compliant.

Tomorrow I am going to make Quinoa, a bit dull? Well maybe.... maybe not.

Combine all ingredients except the dates/butter/nuts in a saucepan and cook over a low heat until the liquid has evaporated and the grains are tender but still have a bit of bite (It took me approximately 15 mins).

Stir in the dates and butter (or ghee) then top with the chopped nuts. Can be eaten hot or cold, but I like it hot!

I'll experiment with other spices and I might try a savoury version with onions, turmeric, cumin, cilantro, fennel seed and maybe even some chilli. Yummy.